Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2013

The State Party did not submit a report on the state of conservation as requested by Decision 36 COM 7B.62 adopted at the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee (Saint Petersburg, 2012). Therefore, no update is available on the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations related to the proposed route of metro line 2 and its potential impacts on the property and its setting,completion on the reduction in the height of the Jahan-Nama building, development of a Management Plan, and maps indicating the property boundaries and buffer zone.

The joint World Heritage Centre/Advisory Bodies reactive monitoring mission scheduled for 5 to 9 May 2013, primarily to consider the impact of the proposed metro line, has not been carried out at the time of drafting this report, and its recommendations will therefore be presented orally to the Committee.

Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2013

Due to the absence of updated information, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies cannot estimate the progress made by the State Party in implementing the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee in relation to the new metro line and its potential impact on the property and its setting, progress made in reducing the height of the Jahan-Nama Building, the development of a Management Plan, or the delineation of the property’s boundaries and buffer zone.

They therefore recommend that the World Heritage Committee consider amending the draft decision according to the recommendations of the reactive monitoring mission that will be reported at the Committee session.

Meidan Emam, Esfahan (Islamic Republic of Iran) (C 115)

3. Regrets that the State Party has not submitted a state of conservation report that addresses the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session;

4. Notes the results of the May 2013 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission to the property and encourages the State Party to implement its recommendations, with particular attention to:

a) Submit to the World Heritage Centre, the detailed documentation on the plan and routing of Metro Line 2, together with a comprehensive Heritage Impact Assessment in conformity with the ICOMOS Guidelines on Heritage Impact Assessments for World Heritage cultural property as well as an extensive monitoring plan, for review by the Advisory Bodies, in order to ascertain any potential impacts on the property and to identify possible mitigation measures prior to approving the project and making commitments to its implementation,

b) Immediately finalize the remaining demolition works at Jahan Nama building and officially inform the World Heritage Committee of its completion,

5. Requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about any construction and emerging major development proposals in Esfahan in line with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines ;

6. Encourages the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the proposal for the boundaries of the property and the modification of the buffer zone, in accordance to Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines , as well as the statement of Outstanding Universal Value, for review by the Advisory Bodies and approval by the Committee;

7. Takes note of the development of the Conservation Management Plan for the property and also encourages the State Party to finalize its review process by considering the following:

a) Integrate the approved Statement of Outstanding Universal of the property and the definition of the boundaries of the property and its buffer zone and identify provisions for its protection,

b) Carry out an assessment study of the vulnerability of the property against disasters such as earthquake or fire and develop a systematic strategy on risk preparedness,

c) Broadly disseminate the finalised Management Plan among all stakeholders and general public,

d) Ensure that the Management Plan becomes part of a larger strategic vision for urban development and conservation of Esfahan and integrate it with the Esfahan Master Plan and municipal by-laws,

e) Submit the finalized version to the World Heritage Centre, for comments by the Advisory Bodies;

8. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2015, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015.

Draft Decision: 37 COM 7B.62

3. Regrets that the State Party has not submitted a state of conservation report that addresses the recommendations of the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session;

4. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit, as a matter of urgency, to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information and documentation on the proposed route of metro line 2, and on its impact on the property and its setting;

5. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to develop a Management Plan for the property, in consultation with all stakeholders, and to ensure that this Management Plan becomes part of a larger strategic vision for integrated urban development and conservation;

6. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2014, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 38th session in 2014.

Documents examined by the Committee in 2013

Exports

* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).